5148/Midnight Dinner

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Midnight Dinner
Date of Scene: 11 August 2018
Location: Constantine's House
Synopsis: Wanda and the House of Mystery host a dinner for any and all of the arcane and mystical sort (and Billy Batson too!). All meet peacefully and enjoy. Wanda brings up an idea she has for a Cirque Nuit to mixed results. Dinner is declared a success and all are invited back again to the next one.
Cast of Characters: Scarlet Witch, Harry Dresden, Shazam, Modred the Mystic, Gale, Constantine, Miss Moreau, Doctor Strange, Molly Carpenter, Magik




Scarlet Witch has posed:
The invitations were sent by House - who still remained nameless. She had decided she wanted a name, but wasn't sure, yet, how she wished to achieve that. The dinners had been partly her idea, concocted while she and Wanda were having tea. So it was that fluted edged invitations, neatly printed in painstaking hand-done calligraphy had been sent to members of the arcane community, inviting them to a dinner at the House of Mystery at precisely the stroke 0f midnight on a certain date - though folks could arrive early, and should they need help finding the place, means would be provided for them. (read: if you wanted to be here, somehow you arrive before the stroke of midnight)

The room where the dinner is to be held is much larger than any John Constantine might recall being in his house -- but that was always the way of it, wasn't it? House was as she wanted to be, and tonight she had guests.

An overly large room, hung with glass tiered chandeliers has been set with a long table set with elegant china and all the trappings of a highly elaborate meal, including scarlet tablecloths set askance over midnight black ones, have been provide. The chairs are all high backed and have scrolled arms. The lighting is low but for the chandeliers and candles lit upon the table. And while the table has been set with many bowls and dishes of things such as fruit and breads, the main meal has not yet arrived.

At each place is set aa namecard. And scattered over the table are crystal decanters filled with varying coloured liquids.

Dressed in a long flowing gown of blood red velvet, Wanda is there to greet each guest.

Harry Dresden has posed:
     Harry Dresden recieved his invitation well.. at the office, the envelope sitting bright and shiney on the center of his desk. After a series of quick tests to make sure that it wasn't a trap, he opened up the envelope to read the invitation. At first he was thinking he wouldn't go, /but/ a little bit of common sense, and a not so little amount of one Molly Carpenter's thoughts on the matter has him walking up to the front door of the odd house, wearing a black suit (Rental) with a bow tie and tails, he's decided to leave the blasting rod and staff at home, his shield bracelet, force rings, and a spiffy upper class cane finishing the ensemble.

    "Molls... I told you about how the /last/ little soiree I went to ended right?" he says fidgeting with his neck while getting a flashback to one particular vampire and the housefire that became that night..

Shazam has posed:
Billy Batson doesn't exactly have a lot of fancy clothes, but he didn't really know it would be fancy either. So he figures he can't be blamed. Anyway, he's a kid, so he gets, like, special privileges of informality. There were probably boys his age who wore tuxedoes, but orphan reporter Billy Batson is definitely not one of them.

He's got a red t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. His jet-black hair is a bit tousled, the bright-eyed boy finding his way to his seat and looking around at the surroundings with no small amount of awe. "Hey, I'm Billy! This place is pretty neat, huh? I bet there's all kindsa spooks and goblins lurking around here!" he says to no one in particular.

Modred the Mystic has posed:
Modred finds the invitation at the place where he is staying. He gresses in the garb he wore when he arrived in the century, complete with chain mail. He Had surveyed the Ley Lines in the area, so he know which nexus the house was on. He located one of the lines leading to it and phased along the line to the door...it being impolite to transit in when one is expected to enter via the door. He wonders who issued the invitation, but is prepared in case things get rough.

Gale has posed:
Well, at least having a house that had to be magically moved to a better spot is obvious magic. Gale got her invite while helping tend the manor's lawn. She seems loathe to lean too hard on magic. Maybe she just got used to muggle life. Having arrived by broomstick, she has a light, long coat on and a semiformal dark suit that looks like the fashion police finally tackled and tazed her into submission. Gale is a tallish gal, and on the slender side. Plus, riding a broom in a dress... Well, that's a show that exceeds her favored rating. Trousers it is! The broom disappears as she arrives near the door. Captain, a full grown orange tabby with jowly cheeky cheeks (cat cheeks! SO WHISKERY!) is in a dark coat, too. He's draped across Rain's shoulders.

"Oh no. Social interaction, my one weakness." She's half joking to Captain, who snorts. "You were in the fan fiction club at college," Captain comments. "You were doomed from the start." Gale siiiiighs. Nevertheless, she's arrived, and is trying to find a nice corner to occupy. Or even a familiar face. Or someone who looks friendly.

Constantine has posed:
As caretaker of the House of Mystery, John was on hand as well, though not so much as host but as another guest. Even if this was /his/ bloody house. He'd even got an invite, the card appearing in his drinks cabinet while he was searching for a full bottle of whiskey.

He and the House had words after that.

Though, now, some days later, John had made peace with it, and stands slouching to one side of the dining room in his trenchoat, a fresh Slik Cut burning between his lips. "Glad you two thought to invite me," he remarks to Wanda and the House. "Forgive me if I am a touch under dressed."

Then when there's a knock at the door, John says, "House, you want to get that."

And out fron the big Addams' Family-eque door opens of it's own accord showing the guests on into a house much too big for how it looks on the outside.

Billy and Gale are regarded with a nod as they make their enterances. "Greetings," he says bemusedly from where he slouches. "And yeah, all sorts of monsters live in here," John supplies to Billy. And it was true, though he suspected the House would keep them out of their way tonight.

Miss Moreau has posed:
Miss Moreau arrives exactly on time. This is not due to any magic per se, but rather the skill at driving a stolen sedan possessed by one of her gang members affectionately named 'Rush'.

Thus, said sedan comes screaming into the parking area of the House of Mystery skidding to a stop after nearly running over two grandmothers, taking out the tail light of a GCPD cruiser, and committing three different felony speeding charges.

Miss Moreau tucks her hair back into place, and steps out after an affectionate tossle to the red headed Irishlady gangster, and has her invitation tucked into a pocket of her dress.

She even knocks on the front door with her cane as her guide animal tugs her in. Her dress is her typical style, but done up with white feathes rather than fur for trim. Her Scarlet Tome too peeks out of the corner of the other pocket, reeking magic to anyone who might pay attention. Her other hand is accompanied by an instrument case, looking like some sort of violin.

More eye catching than the tattooed evil mage, however, might be her guide animal. It's not a dog, but a massive eight legged spider. A sequined one, at that, it's colors shocked through with a rainbow-like shell at odds with the usually far more dulled spider that was it's base.

It also has twelve eyes, is the size of a great dane, has a glowing forehead tattoo and has two pairs of great white wings. Moreau, as is her way, is all smiles as she tap and is led on in to her seat. The other mages gathered each get an eye from the huge spider, seemingly capable of independent motion each.

"Oh, what a wonderful little gathering! Such sweet voice and lovely scents! Good evening, everyone! It's been /far/ too long since I've been to a party! Come, come, refreshments!" Offers Moreau to the group at large, giggling a bit as her spider pulls out her chair. That smile seems etched on her face. She just sounds so /excited/!

Doctor Strange has posed:
    "Yes Stephen, you are going. I am not, I have a laundry list of chores to do -- Yes, laundry is on that list." The raspy assistant says.
    "Alright fine, I'm going. But I'm not going to be happy about it. It's not like I have better things to do with my time. Midnight." Stephen scoffs to himself. "Of all the times who chooses midnight? If this is a Hot Topic themed middle school dance --"
    "Yes, yes, I know the bet Stephen now." With a circular motion of his hand Wong rips open space time and with orange sparks spiraling off in every direction, he urges Strange through the wormhole and onto the walk way towards the House.

    Stephen stumbles once on the pavement and catches himself before he lifts his hands to his lapels of his black tuxedo and takes a moment to look down at the red boutonniere and adjusts it to fit. "Good by Stephen." Wong says before closing the teleportation spell, leaving Stephen in front of the house. "I don't miss mingling." He mumbles to himself before stepping up and bowing in front of Wanda and then looking up, "Oh, the Constantine house... I should have known." He smirks, grinning an old practiced grin as he makes his way to the dinner table.

Molly Carpenter has posed:
When an invitation arrives on a fancy letterhead with pretty writing, it's pretty safe to assume it's going to be formal, or at least semi-formal of an affair. For Molly that didn't mean much--She didn't have much in the way of 'magical ranking' among the group that oversaw her and Harry (bloody zealots that they were.) That meant that when she arrives she's wearing the nicest thing she has: Her prom dress. Shut up okay? It's actually rather fashionable, and tasteful, and has a few hidden pockets sewn into it bless her mother's paranoia. Unfortunately it was a bright and cheery pastel pink which, she thought upon seeing the house, was going to make her stand out like a sore thumb. "I should have worn my goth outfits," she mutters to herself direly. "Next time." If there was one. Looking askance at Harry she grins faintly. "Yes, but I'm here now to save you," she assures patting his arm lightly. "In we go?"

Magik has posed:
    Illyana Rasputin had received the invitation, but it wasn't given much thought after she placed it somewhere within her room.

    She is currently in Westchester, New York, settling in her assigned room at Xavier's School for Gifted Children. Granted, she isn't a student at the school any longer, but it is a good place for her when Limbo gets boring. Her room is warped, not following the strict design pattern of the rooms in the staff area upstairs. It looks like the room of a witch rather than a resident of the mansion. Either way, Illyana is reading her big, black book of spells, as is normal around this time of night.

    "Two vials of-- cat's blood? Gross..." A finger scans the page of the book, turning it over for a second before Illyana wanders to a closet door. She opens it to retrieve the blood of a cat -- it comes in handy with spells -- and reveals a new area altogether, walking into what looks to be dinner.

    "What the fu--" Illyana's words stop when her blue eyes fall on Doctor Strange at the dinner table. "You," she says, stepping towards Stephen. The gray 'X' school hoodie and pajama shorts distinctly contrast.

    "What did you do?" she asks the Sorcerer Supreme, looking around.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda, for her part, is delighted at the response. Several of the guests get hugs, or a kiss on the cheek in welcome. John gets a shake of head and a tsk, "Of course you were invited. I told House it would be very rude to hold a party in your home and not invite you."

Wanda and House had had a small discussion on that, a discussion House wasn't terribly pleased with the outcome of, but with some small amount of bribery, and pouting, on the part of the Scarlet Witch, House had relented and John's invitation had become a thing.

"Oh, do look at you all. So many of you. Come, come in. The table is all set for you." And magically, the places and placecards for those whose invitations had been declined simply cease to exist upon the table, and the meeting space shrinks to suit the slightly more intimate gathering.

House and Wanda might be powerful, but they are not omnipotent. Some responses could not have been reliably predicted.

As noted by Miss Moreau, there is a scent of flowers in the air - the astute amongst you will note that it is lilacs. Some might even recall that they're out of season now, being a spring flower, and fall is just now beginning to sun itself upon the last throes of summer.

Some might notice it - Wanda certainly does - with the arrival of Illyana, House declares the gathering met, the coven full so to speak, and there's a faint sense of warding about the place.

"Oh, it is so good to see so many of you. Please. Please to find your places, and then we can begin to have the dinner. I am Wanda, and so many of you are faces I do not know, but look, we are all here tonight. No ill can be done within these walls while we gather. That is the Covenant we keep within these walls. " And, indeed, those sorts of shenanigans just don't work; it's be nice (arcanely) or go home. She, herself, takes a seat at the head of the table, and if John looks, House has, perhaps ironically, placed him at the foot.

Harry Dresden has posed:
     Harry Dresden shrugs and sighs.. "If we must." he says offering her his elbow in a gentlemanly fashion walking on in with the others. "If tonight sucks, I blame you and you'll have to make it up." he teases glancing around, his eyes focusing on the spider, the gangster, and then the kid.. "Ecclectic group... wonder if anyone isn't.." he trails off leaving the end of his sentence vague..

     Feeling the wards go up has Harry on edge, but then thw words of hearth and home set them right back down, his eyes glancing over to Wanda, and then noticing Doctor Strange eyes focusing on him a little longer before he glances over to Molly "and here we are." he says pulling out Mollys chair for her first before he himself sits down. "Is there any general purpose to this dinner other than friendly socializing?" he asks..

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen is standing, hand in one pocket and his other hand is reaching for the water glass at his spot on the table when a young blonde comes stumbling in and glaring at him, "I did none of this." Strange notes but he does the gentlemanly thing and pulls out Illyanna's chair out for her with a subtle shake in his fingers as he does so.

    The wards affecting Strange in some small way he does slip his hands back into the pockets of his dress pants while he turns to glance at Molly and Harry but mostly Molly, "Have you any ideas on where to start on the flute?" The Sorcerer Supreme inquires, curious how fast the girl gets to work or not.

Shazam has posed:
Billy Batson widens his eyes at Constantine's implication that there are, indeed, creatures lurking elsewhere in the house. He also gives a disapproving look to the cigarette, but knows it's not his place to complain about it. Those kind of guys never listened to a stern warning about the dangers of carcinogens anyway. Then Wanda does her welcoming spiel and opens up the floor.

"Covenant? Like the Ark? Is there something we shouldn't open? I don't want my face to melt off like those Nazi guys. What're we eating? Are there going to be french fries? Those are my favorites, especially the big steak cut fries, with salt and pepper and ketchup, oh man! Who are all you people? Do any of you know who I am? Am I the only kid here? HOLY COW THAT'S THE BIGGEST SPIDER I EVER SAW!"

Gale has posed:
Captain's triangle ears swivel towards John as they are greeted. Gale smiles, and waves to John. "Hello there. And your house, too? Last week I had an infestation of necromancers riding zombie bears," Sigh. The witch has dark purple eyes, but she seems a bit hesitant to approach people. Her orange tabby though, wrinkles his nose. And then there's a giant spider. His pupils go wide. Must. Not. BAT. "Easy, Captain." She scritches his ears. Gale's eyes are a bit wide. "Wow, I feel like I'm at a magic Who's Who." Is that the Sorcerer Supreme? And a guy in sneakers (hi Billy!). And... And... It's enough to make her shrink back a little.

She does smile at Wanda's introduction. And it's a bit of relief to know no one will need to be turned into a newt or what have you. She looks around for her seat. A blink at Billy. Shyly, she lifts a hand. "I'm Gale." Then the cat, "I'm Captain." He speaks in a rich baritone, tinged with a Gothamic accent. She moves to find her chair, peering this way and that.

Modred the Mystic has posed:
Modred holds the seat out for one of the ladies before seating himself to her left. He comments, "Covenant neand agreement or contract, young man. It is something you should not break."

Modred observes the sylphs darrying out dishes and the salamanders makings certain each dish is just the proper temperature. Quite a fancy gathering, and one arranged by something with fair arcane power and connections.

Molly Carpenter has posed:
Molly Carpenter allows herself to be led in by Harry with a smile offered to their apparent hostess. "Thank you for the invitation," she offers with a polite dip of her head. When the wards go up, she has to grab Harry's arm a moment. That was unexpected. Moreso was the fact that there was an energy positively vibrating in the air for her that she couldn't quite place.

When her chair is taken out, she rests a hand on it to pause. Her foot is slipped out of her shoe to rest toe tips gently on the floor 'feeling' for what has this place so powerful. A node? Nexus? Was it, itself, magically sentient? Her thoughts are shaken aside as she looks up toward Strange's familiar voice as well with a smile. "I imagine it's a matter of identifying the 'signature' the original caster used to then isolate the one which doesn't have that same fingerprint, so to speak. Less time having to go through every single layer of spell that way."

Her foot slips back into her shoe and she slips into her chair.

Harry Dresden has posed:
     Harry Dresden lifts up his hand, giving it a gentle wave as a small gentle prod of force goes out to tap Gale on the side, the tall wizard getting the girls attention and motioning to the chair beside him as he stands up to politely pull out the chair offering the spot to her. "Reminds me of your oldest borhter." he whispers to Molly as he nods his head back towards Billy. "Well kid, A covenant, like a promise made between groups of people, good choice in movies though, wait and see what we're eating pray it's not chilled monkey brains, looks like you're the youngest, and they get bigger.."

Constantine has posed:
John watches the guests arrive one by one or in pairs, a nod is given here or there to folks he knows. Strange mostly. Though Magick and Miss Moreau's entrances are noted in particular. One for someone chiding the Sorcerer Supreme and the other for the great dane sized spider.

"Quite the entrance," John remarks to Moreau. He says taking his seat at the foot of the table, cigarette still smoldering from his lips. He grabs it and knocks a bit of ash off the end into his water glass and then settles back, leaning the heavy chair backwards.

"Yeah, not that covenant, kiddo," John says to Billy after Mordred and Harry had said their piece. "An' like he said, nothing you want to break."

He leans forward and grabs a decanter of whiskey and gives it a sniff, then pours himself a healthy three fingers, before pausing and adding a fourth. He sets the decanter down. "So, know some of you, like Strange there, and that's apparently Gale and the Captain. Guess we should do the whole introduction thing, eh? Break the ice. Me I'm John, exorcist and dabbler in the dark arts, an' welcome to my home."

As for the house, it does seem very much alive, with moods and thoughts, and apparently plans of it's own. As to where it is, that seems to be trickier with the house seeming to exist on many planes all at once.

"An' I wasn't joking about the monsters earlier, plus, the House has moods, so best not go oepening any doors but the front one, never sure where they'll end up taking you."

Shazam has posed:
Billy Batson smiles, "The Captain, huh? I like that!" he says. "And I don't usually break stuff. I mean, not for good reason. Sometimes there's a little what they call collateral damage, but I never do it on purpose. So, like, a lot of you are wizards, huh? I know a wizard, but he's a lot older and crankier than any of you. Well, maybe not crankier, but he lives on a big rock and he's kind of serious all the time. But he's a good guy. In case anybody didn't hear, I'm Billy Batson. I'm...well, sort of a champion. It's real complicated."

Miss Moreau has posed:
Moreau, whatever her airs to propriety, reaches with her grubby little gangster hands to the first bottle of whiskey magically served up. With an almost casual toss, it's flicked to her spidery companion. Bottle caught, little spidery jaws undoing the cap, it pulls a flute from the table and pours.

It took Moreua about a week to teach the spider how to do that. Time well spent if you ask her.

Nose swimming with spring flowers, and Wanda being a gracious host, Moreau stands up long enough to offer a deep curtsey to the room as well as the host.

"By my Power, may our fangs remain unbloodied against each other's throat for but a single night~!" Agrees Moreau, still cheery yet with a hint of something serious in her voice. An Oath for the night. She has /some/ class.

With that, she practically hops onto the back of her massive spider-friend, and lounges out. She's a rather light and short sort, and so after taking up the drink poured for her, ears are on the lookout. As are twelve spider eyes and spider-words into her brain.

Her first target seems to be Billy as he so loudly proclaims things, and her attention turns to Billy, then by proxy Harry and Molly.

"Largest? Is that all? My, my, my! Am I losing my touch!? Isn't she the most /beautiful/ spider you've ever seen, little cub? Ahhh, or are you simply so new to...those who see beyond the ignorance of blind and deaf sheep in this world that you've yet to come to know it's pleasures and wonders!?" Questions the woman, lips pursing.

Brows rise. "Ah, but manners! Miss Moreau, a pleasure to meet you everyone!" This is more general. Her soft voice carries surprisingly well.

Constantine gets a wink. "A flare for the dramatic makes life worth living!"

Scarlet Witch has posed:
There's a light titter of a laugh from Wanda when Billy asks about "Covenant of the Ark'. "Oh, no, not quite the same as that. Though I do suppose that a Covenant with the Lord might be similar?" She shakes her head, dismissing the notion, adding a hand wave as she does so. "I am not so much familiar with that." Even if she has spent time at a retreat at a convent in the past. "It is a much different sort of magic, I suppose.'

Wanda seats herself, and shakes her napkin out into her lap, then reaches for the neartest decanter - one filled with a pale green liquid, nearly neon, and pours some into the delicate crystal flute that sits at her spot. "There will be no monsters tonight, John. House wishes a pleasant time."

She explains to Billy, then, "It is with magic that we agree to certain rules. It is so that we may convene with one another in safety. Hearth and Home is one of our most sacred agreements. Here we gather as friends, even if we do not always agree on how to be outside these walls. So we do not harm one another, or our magics will turn in upon themselves and ourselves, and the harm done to no one but us. It is usually very unpleasant. You do not wish to see it happen." Or have it happen.

Harry, she tells, with a sly little smile upon her lips, "Oh, I do have a reason for gathering you all here, but mostly this is to connect with one another."

Food begins arriving. Large platters of meats and vegetables show up, seemingly floating on air.

Modred the Mystic has posed:
Modred replies, "I am Modred, called by some The Mystic, a Wizard from Avalon, that part of the land now called England which was once ruled by Arthur from Camelot. I was trapped a Millenium in a cursed tower and recently freed, so I know little of the things of this time.." He gestures ariund him, "This is more familiar than much I have encountered of late."

Gale has posed:
Gale is poked! She blinks owlishly, glancing in the direction of the magic. Then a polite smile to Harry and Molly. "Thank you," She nods. She'll take her seat, Captain on her shoulders. "Hey kid," The cat greets Billy warmly. He might be a no-bull sort, but he seems friendly enough. And wow, dramatic entrances. Gale is a bit in awe. "Neat," Nod. The orange tabby resting on her shoulders has his ears perked, tail a flicker. Then she boggles at Modred a bit. "Rough. Um, welcome."

Gale seems not to mind following the rules on no hostile magic. "And hi House." So many big names. It's like being in a sea and Gale is a soda can being snatched by a sea gull. "That's a lovely spider. Definitely." Why not. Gale's met unfriendly spiders. Try prying rum from an angry spider on a 72 hour bender. It's tough. At least he's over his girlfriend now. There is curiousity about what goes on around her.

Molly Carpenter has posed:
Molly Carpenter glances over toward Billy with a fond smile at the younger boy. "He is about his age, huh?" She responds idly to Harry as she gets herself comfortable. Gale earns a nod of greeting at the familiar woman as well, before she lets her eyes skim around. Constantine is regarded with his explanation. "Always good to know. Opening doors equals bad times. Gotcha."

Reaching for her own glass she gives it a sniff before taking a sip. It seemed rather mismatched as to who was served what, and as it was already at the table, it was suspect to what it was. Thankfully it's just lemonade in her case. Simple, tart, sweet. A nice mix. "Nice to meet you, Billy. My dad's a champion too so we've already got something in common. Though he's probably a different sort. More the religious sort," she adds with a helpless shrug. Couldn't help who her parents were after all. Miss Moreau gets a nod of greeting as well, "Pleasure, Miss Moreau. I'd say your spider there is the most eyecatching one I've ever seen, by far." Except maybe that one in the Harry Potter movies.

"I'm Molly Carpenter," she introduces to everyone in general. "A wizard." No awesome title for her. Yet.

Harry Dresden has posed:
     Harry Dresden snorts.. "Kid.. Billy, trust me... if you're some sort of champion, or you're getting into the kinds of fights I've seen.. Collateral damage happens. Just remember.. Don't own up to it, and remember, the authorities can only hold you for up to twenty-four hours without arresting you for a crime." he says giving out a bit of advice before nodding to Wanda "And as she said, I'm Harry, I'm a private investigator, and I reckon you could call me a Lizard.."

Constantine has posed:
John raises his glass to Morneau is a cheeky salute. "Right you are," he says then takes a drink.

A nod is given to Wanda, then a glance is given to the house. "Traitor," he mutters good naturedly.

Modred gets a curious frown, "Wait, not that Modred? The one from the stories?" he asks. "Welcome to the future by the by. You'll find most things haven't changed with us magic sorts. We do love to live in the past."

Billy gets a grin, "Sounds like half the sorcerers I know," he says of the description. "So, a champion of what exactly?"

Molly's intro is noted as well, "That's about the long and short of it," he says of the doors. "An' a religious champion eh? Spanish Inqusition not going to pop up during dessert is it?"

"Listen to the Lizard, Billy," he says of Harry's advice. "Especially the bit about the cops."

Modred the Mystic has posed:
Modred ovserves through eyes of magic. He frowns slightly as he observes Manda holds ties the Chthon, bus as a guest he will do nothing harmful unless harm first come to him. He Senses the power of the sircerer on the cloak, and the sheer energy that is bound into the boy called Billy, a thing of pagan might to be certain. He notes the familiars brought by the two women, such is more common among witches than hight magical sorts, but not unknown. He smiles at Molly, who reminds him of his lady, the pure daughter of his master. Constantine seems to be a hedge wizard close to burnout of his powers, many of those fall to drink or the juice of the poppy. Harry is an odd one, much personal power, but hs finess seems lacking. On the other hand, he clearly knoes much of enchanting tools, that Modred could stand to learn more of.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
"Harry!" Wanda admonishes. "You should not tell him those things."

Billy is told, "Do not listen to him. If you make mistakes, they are yours. You must own up to them."

Again, Harry gets a disappointed look, though it turns to something of smug pleasure when her gaze shifts to John. Wanda knows full well House likes her much better than her current owner. "You are such a grouch," she tells John, shaking her head in an almost fondness. "Besides. See? You do not have the fancy glass. House gave you a tumbler for your scotch." And, indeed, it is so. John has a tumbler. No fluted glass. "She does like you some." Then, teasingly, "But only a little."

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen claims his seat and remains silent for the most part, but he's paying attention, his eyes dancing from conversation to conversation as simply as if he were reading another tomb back home. His hands shake further as he reaches out to the decanter before him, filled with a deep red fluid that he pours into the wine glass before him. Pulling the drink to his lips the sorcerer pauses to take a sniff before taking a carefully small sip before he pulls it from his mustache and looks at it with a smirk and lifts it up towards the chandelier above him with a silent nod.

    Good work House, knows exactly the diet of the Sorcerer Supreme. Strange quietly grins over the party, looking at each guest in turn as he remains his quiet self as he spies the eyes looking to him, each of them with some hint of recognition that he is the Sorcerer Supreme, no need to boast. Not here.

Magik has posed:
    The blonde Russian peers at Doctor Strange for a second before accepting the offered chair. Illyana adjusts, looking to everyone in the vicinity and spotting the familiar faces. The massive spider gets a second glance. There is a look of irritation on her expression, not taking the surprise very well. But inside, Illyana took an interest in the dinner; otherwise, she wouldn't have been risked away.

    A low curse releases from her mouth. Then, Illyana rolls her eyes at Moreau's toast... and her cheery demeanor. She grabs the closest bottle of liquor and pours it into a glass, drinking a fair amount and then sighing loudly. "At least there is decent alcohol here," Illyana says, not paying particular attention to anyone. Another healthy gulp and Illyana finishes her glass, debating another.

Shazam has posed:
Billy Batson listens carefully to all the adults lecturing him and teaching him things. Does he retain it all? Nope. But he tries, at least, and he makes the effort to seem attentive although, yes, the big spider is really distracting.

"Gosh, I don't want to get arrested. I guess I'm a champion of, um, justice. Or truth. Or...good guyness? I don't know, I know I'm supposed to punch bad guys, so that's what I do."

Gale has posed:
At the mention of Inquisition, Gale looks a bit nervous. "... I really hope we don't have a witch burning. Or any inquisitions. I'm biased. I um, can heal people and I -" Pause. "... am an engineer? I often help the dead and magical critters with their affairs." She offers helpfully. "Working on my magic GPS, so I don't slam into things while riding my broomstick." Death and looking like a Halloween ornament? Yeah, not great. "Also, it was my aunt's house that landed in New York and got moved to Gotham. Please don't drink and work magic. Unless your magic is being drunk," Gale considers. Captain is craning over, to sniff Billy. Pink toebeans reach out to gently pat the kid. As for her drink and food? Gale eats like a dying college student the week before loans disburse. She can almost FEEL the disappointment.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
"Oh, dear," Wanda observes at Gale's story. "It is not so very good to do magic while drunk." Even if she's pretty sure that's John's modus operandi.

As she speaks, her plate magically fills with thick slices of turkey, along with the usual fixings, and gravy. She nods politely to something that isn't there, and digs into her plate.

Miss Moreau has posed:
"Oh dear! How mysterious!" Offers Moreau vaguely at Wanda having them all here for a purpose. ...She's a little excited, to be honest, but she can't let on about it. Best to enhance the mystery.

As introductions circle, each person gets their own smile or wiggle of a spider leg in turn. Moreau starts with Mordred! "How horrible! Ah, but now that you're free, I know the /best/ bars and pleasure dens in Gotham! When removed from horrible curses and imprisonment, I say one simply must enjoy all that is good in life!"

Gale and Molly collectively have her smiling. She makes a faux-swooning sound as she leans over the back of her spider with one hand covering her eyes. She nearly drops her drink, only kept up by a quick spider leg.

"Mmm! Glad to know /some/ here aren't boors and appreciate beauty. Aesthetics are important to magic. Dull practicality makes creativity and finely honed noble instincts rot when they should be brought to the fore by those with talents!" She nods to herself assuredly.

Then she's drowning herself in delicious alcohol. Only to pause as Harry speaks. "As the good Lizard Man Dresden states, yes, /do/ watch for the laws. ...Also, if you simply /must/ leave a mess and certain undesireable pieces of evidence such as used arcane tools or half-dead corpses, I /do/ have a reasonably priced removal service!" She might be more underworld scum than mage at times. This is offered pointedly at Billy, and perhaps Harry too.

Her feathery spider also makes a sound at Captain that is more like a dying orca than a spider.

Harry Dresden has posed:
     Harry Dresden glances at the plate as it fills up with food, glancing around at the table, he finally reaches out to take a drink himself, sniffing what looks to be a clear liquid to find vodka. Wrinkling his nose a bit he sets it down to grab another finding it to be water and taking a drink before he starts eating..

Magik has posed:
    A specific conversation arises and a brow rises. Illyana laughs.

    "Drinking and casting spells is the absolute best," she interrupts, swirling the glass of... she looks to the bottle on the table to see what she is actually drinking, cognac. Finding that interesting, Illyana turns to Billy. She then points at Miss Moreau, "I'm pretty sure she's on drugs and drunk right now. Too cheery. Stay in school."

    Illyana starts to open the bottle of cognac again.

Modred the Mystic has posed:
Modred's place is filled with roast ox, with carrots, onions, and wild grains and leeks. His Tankard is filled with mead...standard fare in his day and age for a minor noble like himself. He says, "One must never imbibe to such an extent as to lose control. Lack of control can be fatal."

Shazam has posed:
Billy Batson starts to eat very thoroughly as many of the subjects go over his head. That's okay, he's pretty much used to that. He gleans what he can, as a good reporter should, although he's not trying to remember any quotes because he can't think of a newspaper that would buy a story based on this very unbelievable night. Plus, there are only a few publications that take submissions from 15 year olds to begin with.

He was pleased to find that there were, in fact, steak fries.

"Wait, you're a lizard man? That's cool! Do you have like a long tongue? Do you eat flies? I don't think I could eat flies, even with salt and pepper and ketchup," he says, shaking his head.

"Drinking too much is bad for you. It contributes to liver failure and heart conditions. It also makes you unsafe to operate a motor vehicle," he says helpfully. "Plus, it smells like turpentine. I'll stick to pop, thanks!"

Constantine has posed:
John's plate's surprisingly free of pub fare or his usualy lower class fare, but instead, slices of beef drizzled in a divine sauce of red wine and chocolate. He smiles at the House's selection. "Don't worry, he remarks to the house, not going to open you to the public, but we're definitely talking about the menu around here."

He offers a wry smirk to Wanda. "Guess that's somethin' then, innit?" he says before taking perking up at the mention of Miss Moreau's clean up service. "Got a card?" he asks, as he digs into his pocket and floats one of his to her. "Might come in hand, that."

A snort of a laugh is given to Magik little PSA.

"Pretty sure more n' just her are drunk and on drugs," he says. He was definitely both of those things. Okay, maybe he was working on the druink part.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Strange lifts an eyebrow at the turn of the converstaion, but again he doesn't jump in, instead he grabs for his pair of chop stic-- Not that kind of dinner Stephen, he tells himself. He grabs his fork and knife in hand and as he does so, what appears to be a plate of grotesqueries come into existance. Tenticles, slugs, eyes, something that looks like a cauliflower ear and many different things pulsing, oozing and squirming slowly. "Good choice." Stephen replies to no one as he takes his fork, and pierces a slug and then starts to cut into it with his fork before taking a bite.

    While chewing his food, Strange looks over to Billy, "She's not wrong, but carry a salt shaker when discussing magic with most everyone here." The Sorcerer notes after he has hidden his hands beneath the table once more.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda, for her part, looks pleased. Her gaze moving over those gathered. The conversations that are striking up - some of them more amusing than others. She nearly chokes on a sip of her drink when Illy tells Billy to stay in school, but wisely doesn't say anything on the matter.

As folks eat, food comes and goes. When someone ponders that they might be a bit peckish for a tad more of that.. that is suddenly at their elbow, waiting for the thinker to take a portion. Similarly, the decanters never empty. They flow endlessly with the spirits within. The candles on the table continue to burn, wax dripping down the sides of each but never fouling the tablecloth, nor burning down. The lighting is perfectly set for conversation and camaraderie.

The Scarlet Witch eats from her plate, but mostly she settles back and watches the gathering with pleasure and fondness.

When folks seem to have settled down into pleasantries, she speaks up, "So, there was a reason I did ask you all here today. A small thing, but a thing I think you will all perhaps enjoy?"

Molly Carpenter has posed:
Molly Carpenter nearly coughs out her drink when Billy inquires about Harry being a Lizard Man. "If only," she mumbles around the rim of her glass before taking a deeper gulp. No, bad Molly, no being sassy in front of a young'un.

It's about this time she glances down at her own plate. The contents were simple for her: Chicken picata and some grilled asparagus. It causes her to smile, and she looks around at all the various dishes. "Okay, I have to admit... Wow. Beautiful house, and an excellent chef as well. Thank you for your thoughtfulness on everything," she adds lifting her glass in salute... To the ceiling. Well now she could pick up when something was going on and give credit where it was due.

Gale has posed:
Memories of a drunken aunt squashed by a house. Gale is on the side of sober magic. She pauses. Gale herself has melon soda, and some noodles. She has nerd tastes, which means her diet is alarmingly unhealthy while she focuses on her work. "Thank you, House." She's polite if nothing else. Captain is leaning in to sniff at Billy, as cats do. "Um. He doesn't mean lizard literally." She hesitates. "Oh whoa, Doctor Strange. Hi!" Gale's eyes are wide with alarm and awe. The Burrit-- Sorcerer Supreme (who may or may not have sour cream). She almost double takes.

But then there's an announcement. She settles quiet, to pay attention. As does Captain.

Harry Dresden has posed:
     Harry Dresden is in the middle of a taking a drink when Billy posits his questions, glancing over at Molly for a moment he turns back to Billy "Long tongue, yes, bugs no, I like Burger King, just like very one else.. But I do come from the ancient land of Lemuria Far to the north of the lands of Hyboria. There I am King." he says with a straight face before he settles down, intrest shining in his dark eyes as he conciders Wanda's words..

Constantine has posed:
John settles back to listen to the idea, cigarette butted out in the water glass now.

"I swear to god if this is an Amway meeting..." he mutters. "Not falling for that twice."

He takes a bite of his meat while he waits for Wanda to say what she plans to say.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
When she seems to have everyone's attention, Wanda speaks up, her voice perfectly pitched for all to hear - or perhaps it is merely a trick of House's that this happens; Wanda certainly doesn't seem to be raising her voice.

"I was thinking that we all do have so many skills, and that we so rarely get a chance to show them off. I did think, what if we created a showpiece - a place where we could.. entertain others with what we do best. I had an idea of a circus. A very special circus. Only that is only open at night.." - one might note that this dinner has followed a similar pattern, being held at midnight - "We could do many different things. And perhaps find other acts that were less arcane, but still very powerful, and create this illusion of grandeur where our guests would not know if they were seeing reality or fantassy, but not caring either way because it was so spectacular."

She bites at her lower lip a moment, looking for a heartbeat as though she might be worried none will think her idea worthy.

"That is it. That is why I did bring you all together. To meet. To talk. To celebrate together. And to plan the greatest show in history."

Modred the Mystic has posed:
Modred looks up to listen politely to his hostess. It is, after all, quite common to bring someone to visit as an excuse to ask them to discuss business. One can always refuse the request, but one should always listen.

Magik has posed:
    Constantine is correct about that. Illyana is not saint. That is literally impossible now, but the point is made. Despite her relatively young physique, Illyana has lived on and off Limbo for years, so dabbling in different 'hobbies' passes every-so-often.

    Either way, Illyana returns to the conversations around her until Wanda got all of their attention. Even though it wasn't a long pitch, Illyana continues to take more sips. As the group silences, Illyana takes the time to ask, "You want us to join a circus? You are joking, right?"

Miss Moreau has posed:
The spider wiggles a bit, reaches into Moreau's dress uncomfortably far, and plucks out a card. It's flicked towards John perfectly to slide home. There's simply a number on it, with a faintly magical snake tattoo similar to the one both magess and spider sport.

"I look forward to your business, Mister Constantine! Repeat customers get discounts!"

Sightless eyes closed, Moreau sticks out her tongue straight at Illyana! "Perhaps you should live a bit more! A hunter's life is dangerous, bound to be cut short at a moment's notice! Always a hide-bound, shackled zoo pet at every one of these gatherings, I swear!" Huffs Moreau with displeasure.

Her plate, by now, seems to be a mixture of exotic meats from the African savannah, all horrifically illegal. She's chewing on salted Tiger meat. She tilts an ear to Wanda, and her spider wheels around in entirely unnecessary hops to give the gangster's full attention to their host.

"Ah! The question of the hour!"

Moreau is off of her spider with her hands on her heart in about half a second. Her eyes are wide wand shimmering with joy that she shows so very rarely. For once, there's no murder in them either.

"A circus! An arcane menagerie of the strange and beautiful! Where our gifts are shown freely without restraint, shackles of 'normal' and bland authorities cared not a wit for! Yes! /YES/! Oh, sweetlings, together may we make Barnum and Bailey a mere back alley fortune teller by comparison to our grand works!" Moreau, sounds, well...a little /too/ enthusiastic about this. Her cheeks are scarlet red. Even her massive guide spider seems embarrassed.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda shakes her head at Illyana. "No, very different than that. I wish you to *create* a circus. And not just any circus. I want a circus of the arcane. Where the mystical among us can create a blur between illusion and reality so compelling that hearts beat faster and people willingly wish to immerse themselves in the story that we will tell."

"I wish us to create an event so spectacular that those who do not get to attend will mourn that they missed it, and that those who step past the gates and into the tents long for the taste of our food in their mouths, for the scent of our grounds in their nostrils, and the sight of our shows with their eyes, such that the mundane will no longer please them."

She laughs a little. "Or that they will only wish that perhaps we might do it again next year. I am being a little of the romantic I think. But I hope you understand."

Shazam has posed:
Billy Batson wipes his mouth carefully with a napkin, bright eyed, "Gosh, a circus. I mean, that could be really neat. A magic circus. That can be dangerous, though. Remember what happened to the Flying Graysons? That was a terrible tragedy. The last thing you'd want is for something like that to happen, so anybody who uses a trapeze or walks the high wire should probably be able to fly. I mean, I can fly - well, he can fly, but he is me, but he's not me, he's kind of like me plus probably because of the Solomon stuff, Solomon was a really wise old Bible dude but it's not like I know a lot of things when I'm Cap, it's just, like, I kind of know better, if you know what I mean, where I would think to do something dumb but Cap says, "No, instead, let's do the smart thing!" and then we do the smart thing and it usually works."

He munches down another fry quickly.

"But I'd be better as the strong man!"

Molly Carpenter has posed:
Molly Carpenter leans back in her seat at the suggestion that is put forth. A glance is cast over to Harry, and then others at the table seeing their own reactions before she shakes her head. "Sorry. Harry doesn't do parties, and my magic isn't that showy to begin with. It's more 'don't see' as opposed to see."

Constantine has posed:
"Seems like," John says to Magik as he considers Wanda's suggestion. Even though it was his house he'd had no clue of the purpose of the night.

He considers it over a sip of whiskey, smirking faintly at Moreau's enthusiasm.

His response is muted in counterpoint. "F-" he begins eyes cutting to Billy. "Ahem, sounds like a lark, count me in."

Wanda's further arguments are met with a nod. "Think of it as showing the muggles there's some wonder left in the world. Good for our business if nothing else."

Harry Dresden has posed:
     Harry Dresden nods.. "My magic is generally the kind where you have giant telephone sized lightning bolts hitting things, and stuff exploding while everyone and everything around you screams and dies." he says apologeticly. "Apparently your house didn't get my address out of the yellow pages, it says right there, no endless purses, no entertainment." he explains.

Gale has posed:
"... I can cure hangovers?" Gale seems to be understating her abilities. But again, shy. Then a blink at Wanda's idea. Hmm. "I see. That might be neat. I could donate to it," Or maybe find that nice unicorn who owes her a favor. Everyone loves unicorns right? But Gale herself is no show-woman. She's more on the subtle end of the magic spectrum. Captain wiggles a bit, leaning forward to snatch a bite from Gale's plate. "hey!" Catowned. That's the life of a cat servant. "Or I guess I could turn into a bear..." Everyone loves bears, right? Who knows? Gale seems willing to contribute at least, if in her shy way. Still, freakin' Doctor Strange is here! Whoa.

Miss Moreau has posed:
Moreau pauses in her enthusiasm, only to turn her attention to the apprentice wizard in the crowd. Pale fingers snap straight to the young woman, and three spider legs accentuate the motion in time.

"Do you, Miss Carpenter, believe that the 'unseen' is unworthy entertainment in the right setting? Gaping holes in a canvas create art just as surely as crimson paint upon the same canvas! Perhaps I can show you what I mean, sweetling!" Smiiiiile.

A giggle to Harry. "Some might consider such explosion enjoyable. A lightshow for the ignorant masses, Mister Dresden! Think of it as bringing back Roman style delight!" She might not be helping matters.

Harry Dresden has posed:
     Harry Dresden nods moving to stand up pulling out one of his buisness cards. "We don't like to practice our magic just for show." he says simply "but if you run into any trouble, feel free to give us a call, we have reasonable rates." he explains. "I must beg your forgiveness but the two of us really should be going, we were only able to re-arrange our schedule so much." he says in explination..

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda, wisely, settles back and lets her guests hash out the whys and wherefores of her idea. She can see the wheels turning, and knows the idea may take a bit of thinking on, but she's sure she's got them hooked, and that slowly but surely they can create this thing, and, as someone has already said, remind the world that there is still the magical and fantastic in it, if only you look and could see...

Okay. she's paraphrasing.

Magik has posed:
    Illyana's forehead wrinkles, bouncing off what Harry mentions. "I'm not a side-show," she says plainly, "My magic is not some activity for others to be entertained by. I can only speak for myself, though." A bottle of the cognac rises above her head, fingers wrapped around its neck firmly. "I too must leave, but do you have any more of this cognac?"

Modred the Mystic has posed:
When he hears the term "Circus". what comes to Modred's mind is the Circus Maximus, the great chariot racers of Rome. He gets the impression that is not what is being talked about, so he listens and seeks to understand the references. After listening a bit he decides they must mean a grand fair, like unto the entertainments that oft were held around the tournements of Camelot. He comments, "Entertainment be not the use of wizards, only hedge wizards and hearth witches join such things. Still, reminding people of this age that there is yet that beyond their ken, tat may not be a bad thing."

Shazam has posed:
Billy Batson calls out to Illyana, "You shouldn't drink anymore if you're driving!" he squeaks. All these beautiful women are making him nervous. They're lovely and terrifying and that's not even account for oversized arachnids or potential death stares or implied sorcerous prowess. Being a lady was magic enough to intimidate Billy!

"I know some of the kids in the foster system would really enjoy something like that. I know it may seem trivial, but seeing there's magic in the world can really give hope and comfort to kids from a rough background. A lot of them have been abused and just seeing a little piece of wonder can be a special thing. That's why Cap visits the hospitals every weekend (after I do my homework). Oooooh, chocolate pie!"

Molly Carpenter has posed:
Molly Carpenter offers an apologetic smile to Wanda as she nudges back from her place at the table. With Harry about to leave it stood to reason she ought to go too. "I appreciate the offer, and I will think it over more, but I really don't think that sort of thing is in my wheel house. I'm still learning a lot as it is and have to dedicate my time to that. As well as work." Another smile is given as she adds, "Thank you for the invitation. This was a lovely evening all around."

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen sits there, his hands still beneath the table as he's trying to hide his damages from the rest of the mystics in the room. Some might know, some might not know about his injuries and short comings, but still he plays it close to the vest. Stephen pushes his seat backwards and while trying to be quiet about it, the whole chair screeches on the floor.

    "Wanda, I appreciate the offer and the sentiment, but you know I have to decline." The Sorcerer Supreme says, his hands quickly sliding into the pockets of his pants once more after he pushes his chair back in and gives a polite nod to every single practicioner in the room. "It was a lovely meal, thank you." With that Strange starts to move towards the door that he came in, wanting to get out of the wards, and back to his comfortable self.

Miss Moreau has posed:
Moreau visibly deflates.

"May your dull, unscented tomes of banality grow teeth and tear out your boring throats, dears~!" Offers the mage with a voice that's still way too cheery, and oddly lacking in actual malice despite the threat. She's mostly teasing.

Besides, she'd rather have overly large bedbugs do /that/ job.

Slump back onto her spider. Fingers snap. More booze, and said spider is leaping up onto the table. It seems prepared to play bartender with those who are left. It's pulled out a top hat to wear, as a matter of fact.

"Right! Details! First of all, we'll need to hire a few people without much to lose! Second, I recommend lions crossed with electric eels as our opening act facing off against 'gladiators' with nets!" Someone /might/ want to tone down Moreau's murder-carnival here. It's what she does.

Gale has posed:
Gale waves. "Captain and I have to go check on some fairy circles. But we'd be glad to do a little helping," It's a big step for the shy witch. "Be well." She stands, bows, scritches her cat and starts along out.

Modred the Mystic has posed:
Modred says, "Gladitorial games and jousts may have some value, but one would need to suit them to the times and at least give a seeming of fairness. Likewise races and other contests." Being soulless, Modred quite misses the point of fights being wrong...

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda laughs a little at Moreau's suggestions. "Perhaps not so macabre, but I do not see why there could not be mythical and magical creatures in some manner? It is all about imaginations and our magic, after all."

Billy she nods at and smiles. "Exactly. It is not so much a circus like clowns in a car or we all sit in stands and watch. It is.. a showcase. A way to being the mystical and arcane to life. To be what we are. To.. well, I have never been to a circus. But I do think it would be nice to see the faces of those who could enjoy just a bit of what we can do, and be amazed."

Constantine has posed:
"Doubt that's what the lady had in mind," John says to Moreau with a grin before Wanda confirms it. The same is said to Modred. "An' perhaps not that either."

Billy though is nodded to. "See, he's got it."

John settles back then, a nod given to Gale. "The House will know where to find you."

As for Magik, he nods to another bottle of the good cognac. "Help yourself, luv, the good stuff needs to be drunk."

He settles back in his chair, "So, Billy mate, what is it you do exactly?" he asks,

Shazam has posed:
Billy Batson takes a big bite of his chocolate pie before he answers, "Well, I deliver papers and I go to school and sometimes I get to write something for the radio, cause nobody really cares about the radio anymore and it's cheap to hire me since I work for almost nothin'. Oh, and I, uh, turn into Captain Marvel. Maybe you saw him on TV! Big guy, red suit, lightning bolt. He works with the Justice League sometimes."

Magik has posed:
    The bottle is placed back on the table at Billy's response, grinning evilly in his direction. That grin melts into confusion as Miss Moreau adds more of her depth into the small gathering. And then, Wanda adds to it.

    Getting the answer that she wants from Constantine, Illyana grabs the other bottle as a pool of golden light opens in the air behind her. "I will go ahead and let myself out. Thank you for the hospitality. Hail Satan," she says with a nod in Wanda's direction. Entering the portal, it disappears shortly afterwards, leaving a sensation of fire and the smell of brimstone.

Constantine has posed:
John nods along with Billy until he gets to that last part. "You what?" he says before he smirks faintly to himslef. "Yeah, pull the other one, mate," he says with a chuckle. "You almost had me there."

He looks to Modred. "An' what about you? How's the new century treating you?"

Scarlet Witch has posed:
As people take their leave, the space merely shrinks down without effort or anything of fanfare. One moment a guest is there, the next, having left, their spot at the table is no more and the table is suddenly only composed of those remaining.

"Oh, my," Wanda says of Billy. Blinking at Illyana's goodbye. "Oh dear."

She shakes her head. "It does take all kinds."

So, too, as the table shrinks, dinner has disappeared, and along with it, the table now offers a sumptuous array of desserts.

Shazam has posed:
Billy Batson nods, "I bet she had a troubled childhood. I've seen it before! Kids start listening to heavy metal and playing with Ouija boards. Usually it's just silly, though. I know that stuff can be dangerous, but I also don't want to be prejudiced. Like, some of my best friends are pagan gods. Well, maybe not friends, but I know a couple anyway. They're usually very sweaty. Especially the Greek ones. I think it's all the olive oil."

Modred the Mystic has posed:
Modred replies to Constantine, "In sooth, I find thes times most confusing." To Billy, he comments, "The spell ye be under hath a familiar feel, but is clearly not of the same hand. Mayhap he who cast it wast taught by one I knew or vice versa. 'Tis a mighty transformation ideed, like in power unto becoming a dragon it is."

Constantine has posed:
There is a snort for Billy. "From what I've heard of her, you're not wrong," he says of Magik. "Though, can't say my youth was untroubled."

Wanda is given a smile. "Not much of a surprise is it? You know me don't you?" he says of it taking all kinds.

"I can imagine it is. Confusing to a lot of us born to it too. Truth doesn't matter and everyone lives on their phones now. That's a thing in your pocket that lets you talk to people far away. I am sure Billy has one on 'im."

Scarlet Witch has posed:
There's a gentle smile for Billy from Wanda. "I know of you. That is almost the same thing. And yes, sometimes our pasts do haunt us in terrible ways. They do not have to, though." She knows how it is for both situations to be true, her own past littered with hardships and horror, and she once was what could be considered 'one of the bad guys'. "It isn't impossible to change, though. But I do not think she wishes that."

Shazam has posed:
Billy Batson grins, "I do! I mean, it's not, like, a really fancy one, but it's a pretty neat. I can use it to catch Pokemon, too. I mean, pretend ones, not real ones. Wait...are there real Pokemon? Holy moley..." he says, considering the possibility for the first time with wide eyes.

"All we can do is try our best," he says, nodding to Wanda. "And yeah, I guess Cap is sort of like a dragon, only he's like a person shaped dragon with a cape."

Modred the Mystic has posed:
Modred says, "Change is easy, but making that change be for the good, that can be much harder." Especially if you are no longer certain exactly what "good" is.

Constantine has posed:
"Yeah, not everyone does," John says of change and takes a pull from his tumbler. "Want to change I mean, some of us, are comfy with our demons."

In his and Magik's case they were more literal than figurative.

"So, Billy, you going to show us how you turn into Cap?" he asks. "An' no, no Pokemon that I know of."

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda nods to Billy. "He is a little like a dragon. Maybe we all are in some ways, yes? Only he is like a good dragon. The ones that we have forgotten about in out fables and fairy tales. The ones who were driven away because we wished to believe only in the dark ones. It is easier for us to hear tales of things that frighten, so that we can imagine ourselves as the ones who save, yes?"

Again, she nods.

"He did fight the dragons that were, and then he did come to us. The dragons today are very different. And yes, he is like one who wears a person's shape and a cape. Much easier to pretend we are him and also very brave and powerful."

Modred the Mystic has posed:
Modred says, "It seems that the evening must end. Should you indeed put on your circus, I will see what I can do to help. It is apparent you know how to contact me." He is not sure he want to meet her away from the peace of this meeting though.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
There's a soft smile for Modred. "I do wish to do this thing. So I will contact you. But we shall have dinners, still. It was nice to see so many of us in one place in peace."

And yes, she knows how to contact him. Or would, should she put her mind to it. Blissfully unaware that Modred holds uncertainty about meeting her outside the Covenant.

"Do not be a stranger, yes?"

Scarlet Witch has posed:
And with that, it seems the evening winds down. The table clears as things are no longer needed. Candles gut out one by one, the house lights coming up with each that dies, until it is nearly brightly lit in the room, and the end of the evening is signified.